Thursday, March 29, 2018

Mod: The Arcadia Weekly's Galen Patterson has a few questions about Arcadia Mayor Pro Tem Sho Tay's murky money today, and comes up with some interesting answers. Why Is Sho Tay Spending Campaign Money After Being Appointed? (Arcadia Weeklylink): Mayor Pro Tempore Sho Tay was appointed by the City for an extended second term in office specifically because he was the only candidate from the 3rd district. One other 3rd district Arcadian had drawn papers, but had not submitted them. With the lack of any prospective write-in candidates, Tay had his second term locked down on January 25th, 2018.

The final deadline for any candidate to file the papers was January 12, 2018, which means that Tay was officially running unopposed after that day. On January 15th, Tay’s committee, “Sho Tay for Arcadia City Council 2018” received two separate contributions from two development-related companies.

The first contribution was from Tony Chen, owner of Candet properties. Chen gave Tay’s committee $1,000.

The second contribution came from James Chou, listed as the owner of Concord Property Management. Chou gave Tay’s committee $2,500.

What makes these donations interesting is the fact that both Chen and Chou would have known about Tay running unopposed and would therefore not have an obvious reason to donate to him. While Chen lives in Arcadia’s 2nd district, not Tay’s 3rd district, Chou does not live in Arcadia and Concord Property Management may not even be a real company.

More perplexing still is that both Chen and Chou have declined to comment on their contributions, and perhaps one of the most puzzling features of this mystery is Mayor Pro Tem Tay using their money to pay for mailers in both districts 2 and 5 to support candidates Bob Harbicht and Roger Chandler.

The mailers, paid for by Tay’s committee, call for urgency to protect people from home invasions, suggesting the current council has not adequately handled the task. However, since both Chandler and Tay are currently serving on the council, the mailer furtively suggests that electing candidate Bob Harbicht, thereby ousting incumbent candidate Tom Beck, will change the crime rate in the city, even though all councilmembers have a proven track record of giving the Arcadia Police Department what they need to effectively do their job.

These mailers circulated amidst a mailer whirlwind of information aimed at almost every candidate. However unflattering and opinionated some of these mailers were, one organization was steadfast in circulating mailers with false information written only in Mandarin and attacking candidates Tom Beck, Jolly Wu and Joyce Platt. The Arcadian’s Rights Protection Association, registered under a non-Arcadia lawyer named Karlfeldt Su, has been reported to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC).

Arcadia made the choice to switch from at-large elections to district elections because of the misrepresentation of demographics on City Council. Arcadia is nearly 60 percent Asian and only has a single Asian Councilmember.

Yet candidate Jolly Wu has been denigrated by Tay in several forms including social and Chinese media, and by door-to-door campaigners, some of which were recruited from Tay’s WeChat boards. Meanwhile Tay openly supports Councilman Roger Chandler.

District elections were designed to bring representatives of cultural populations into local politics. What it has done instead is create hostility between candidates and council members, regardless of race.Mayor Pro Tem Tay could not be reached for comment.

Would have liked to hear from the 2 donors. Did they know they were giving money to Tay so he could send mailers for Harbicht and Chandler? Was this done intentionally so that Harbicht and Chandler wouldn’t have to report contributions from outside influences?

The Arcadian’s Rights Protection Association contributions to Chandler and Harbicht's campaigns, which are under active investigation by the FPPC, is also outside money being spent for their benefits. Seems to be a theme of the Development Party.

Once ostentatious displays of wealth became commonplace in Arcadia, is anyone really surprised that crime increased?It was said that members of the Asian community did not trust white people's banks, so kept their wealth secured around the house. Then they built huge monuments to conspicuous consumption, kind of like an advertisement.

8:02 Let me take a wild guess. That you are a white person. Your great great great parents probably take part in the "The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882". This Act was the first federal law enacted to prevent a specific ethnic group from immigrating to the US. This law lasted 60 years until it was repealed in 1943 during a time when China had become an ally of the US against Japan in WWII.

8:02/8:28am, U should check out some facts before u open your big mouth. Your neighborhood Sterling Bank in Arcadia is a white people's bank with majority of Chinese depositors. Go walk into BofA anytime of the day and you'll see lots of Asian employees and customers.

Will you people please get your facts straight. "All male all white"...look at the APOA photo you have all been ranting about. The APOA members that appear in the photo are Sanchez, Castillo, Lee and Calderon (female). Three Latinos and a woman. I guess claims of racism and sexism don't have to be based on truth! Maybe the APOA will back a female candidate when one comes along worth supporting?

They can't stand supporting a female candidate. The city is over 100 years old, who is the female candidate that APOA ever supported before? The true speak for itself. There are 2 female candidates in district 5, APOA turned both down. APOA must hanging around with Roger to long, don't even know what is true anymore. The housing authority retired chief is not the Arcadia retired chief can APOA tell the different?

Agree with 9:53pm. APOA pretends to be progressive by hiring ONE token Asian police officer and ONE token female officer. They really think that people are stupid not to see the organization's true color.

9:53:There is a term describing this Chandler and/or APOA relationship. It is "conspiracy of silence" or "culture of silence", describing the behavior of a group of people thru an implicit agreement to keep silent about an occurrence, situation or subject in order to maintain, promote or protect the group's or the individual's self interest and/or survival.

Once again, fake news. First of all the APOA does not hire anyone. The APOA's membership comes from the police officers in the department. There are no less than 5 Asian members of the APOA and 4 females. Your racist and sexist "token" comment speaks volumes about you. Your true colors are showing 10:26.

8:26: 1. Okay, I made a mistake about the number of Asians and female officers. A 5% Asian officers (assuming that you have 100 officers) is still very low for a city that has 60%+ Asian population. 2. How many of these Asians and female officers are in management or supervisor positions?3. Yes. I know that APOA is a union org representing police officers in the dept. I understand it doesn't hire police officers directly. I just simplifying it to explain to people that are not familiar with the distinction between APD and APOA. The reality is that he police officers in the dept (who are mostly APOA members themselves) directly or have influence of hiring new police officers. In short, APOA members working for the dept hires new officers.4. The racism/sexism is Arcadia's general public opinion about the APD. That is something the APD has to work on to change its image to the general public.

Agree that racism/sexism has no benefits to society and its organizations. The general public opinion that the APD is such an organization is well known. Just take an informal survey from talking to your neighbors about their experiences and views with the APD. It is up to the Arcadia City management and the City Council to change its image (APD, among other depts) to the general public.

With a City community that has over 61% Asians and majority Chinese, the APD needs to hire more Chinese police officers that also have bilingual skills. The City Council needs to do more for the Asian community because they have been underrepresented for decades. Switching to district-based voting for city council seats is a start. Arcadia needs more Asians to run for City Council; more importantly, the City needs to increase voter participation of Asians in Arcadia in order to take advantage of district-based election.

Rumors have it that Tay wants to imitate the political style of the N. Korean dictatorship family dynasty... He's planning to enthrone his children to the City Council. Oh, Oh, Arcadia will become the City of Vernon.

7:55am. The Sierra Madre City Council has give the town the largest unfunded CalPERS debth.Why won't any of these Councilmember's explain why they refuse to move employees to 401(k) retirement plans and pay off the pension debth?

10:04am. The question still remains. Why this council has not made plans to pay off the pension debth?New hires have had changes made to their retirement package.The reason the Council wants the UUT to continue and even increase, is because this council will not take a stance against lawmakers in Sacramento.No other business sector has this "vanity" style of retirement.You my friend are "working your fingers to the bone; and what do you get? Bony fingers" you don't get the same retirement.

10:35, you ask, “Why this council has not made plans to pay off the pension debth?“. Then you complain about the UUT. What magic plans to you want them make?

Your realist choices are raise taxes, cut costs or sell assets. I for one want no part of selling the library or other city property. As you pointed out, they are retaining the UUT rather than letting it sunset. They have cut almost $1million/year in costs, and have lowered pension benefits for new hires. Seems prudent to me.

What's wrong with Mr. Sho helping his politician friends? In Taiwan politicians regularly fist fight on the floor of the legislature. You are weak old women. Go away to another place without Chinese people if you can't compete. All your home are belong to us.

Hey, take a deep breath. Think more before you write in the future. Arcadia's public safety sectors are majority white-male dominated (Police and Fire). You don't want to upset these folks if you need their help in the future. Understand?

Please, we are in America, can you go by the land of law? Please don't pledged to the US flag but turn around to serve other countries. There is a name for it. I hope that Homeland Security not reading your comments. Be loyal, after you pledged to the flag. Enjoy your benefits at the same time obeying the law. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. A dog even knows that.

11:47am. Make plans to cut more! It is not as if this were a new issue, it has been years and years in the making.Just because the ineptitude of a few Councilmember's and their extremely poor managerial experience in finance and their abilities to make tougher decisions, the residents of this town should not be on the hook.It was not a problem to sell off city assets with the Canyon Fire Station when starting the Paramedic Program.It was not an issue when the Nursey School near the YAK Community Center was sold; because rent was too difficult for them to pay to the city year after year.It was not an issue to have the City spend funds to purchase the land for Goldberg Park; which is not fully paid off.It was not an issue to build and reinforce the reservoir's during the drought.It was not an issue to contract the more expensive Fire and Paramedic Trucks that rolled out together on each call.It was not an issue to have the City support the selling off of the downtown business district; both Congregational Church and Kensington Retirement Home.It was not an issue to rely on Consultants year after year.It was not an issue to give additional study of the Law Firm representing the City and negotiate further reductions in their charges to the town. It is not an issue to tighten the finances when appropriate.

I have a family member who had house randsacked in area off of Santa Anita, lots of jewelry taken. Called APD, they came out. Asked cop to take finger prints, cop said no, not worth his time. Enjoy the break ins people and let’s not dare tell residents to keep cash out of their homes, that’s just too racist apparently. City has gone to sh$t.

There you go with more stupidity 6:16. The cop didn’t take prints cause then it would show up as another robbery and show even more they have no control over stopping this. You just stay in your Polly Ann world.

6:49,Okay I will not read into things that don't exist. At the same time, can you give me facts instead of anecdote evidence? Where is the Crime Statistics Report to support all these assertions from these cops? Is it really that hard for the APD to compile such data to proof it. I trust, but I need to verify. Is that too much to ask from your PD?

Unbelievable that these 2 chumps (6:21,7:10) believe everything they hear from a cop. With this logic, I guess they will agree that a cop should stop reporting crimes when there are too many homicides committed in a city.

I'm not so sure. Rumors have it that Sho Tay and big developer have power over the Pasadena STAR newspaper's owner. It appears that the big developer is the landlord of the STAR news HQ. As such, any negative STAR news coverage about wheeling and dealings related to development are being suppressed. Just rumors... Maybe others can shed light on this further.

Dear 5:06,Go look up the word "window dressing". I will suspend my judgment. Please answer the following:How many police officers work at the APD?How many Asian police officers work at the APD?How many female offices work at the APD?

Any California city asking for a tax on utilities should be turned down by it's voting residents and make the lazy city government tighten their own spending belts instead of being lazy pigs who ask for more tax money so they can waste it all like they did with the first batch of money they pis away in the first.

Arcadia Residents Alert:The city is close to increasing its property tax income big time, meaning an increase in the already over the top city salaries.A massive condo complex is in the works on Duarte Rd between First and Santa Anita. The entire block. For those of you that don’t want our city to look like Alhambra, you better step up and fight it. Hundreds of condos. Just like the terrible compound they’re putting in now at First and Duarte but much larger.

Me either, but what’s going in there now is terrible. The city has sold out to developers. Look at the property tax they will get. The city blew it not widening southbound First Ave. The traffic will be a nightmare. Welcome to Alhambra East. Bring in some more massage parlors, let the city go to hell. Dominic is ruining the city, time to fire him.

Agree to fire Dominic. He already cost our city 4.2 million dollars for the drought tolerance center dividers. What will be his next move on the costly expenses from our pocket? Could it be the raising of city's sales tax to fund the 130 million dollars unfunded city employee pension? From the 2016, 7% UUT tax to 2018, a 7% increase in water rate. What will be his next plan to take away money from our pocket and fatten his retirement?

CHADLER’S TOP 5 LIST AFTER LOSING THE ELECTION#5. Play golf#4. Play more golf#3. Take a luxury cruise fully paid by the developers #2. Move to an obscure small town in Alaska and run for mayor#1. Take a Hillary Clinton-esque national book tour

Another 77 unit complex proposed will be discussed at the next city Arcadia City Council Meeting.Write your letter of opposition to City Council Members. Why is there no group to plan opposition strategyto high density development ? Single complaints voiced as opinion cannot be as forceful as a group.

Citizens of Sierra Madre and Arcadia need to elect officials that will not screw them over and will look out for the City and the peoples interests. These guys clearly arent looking out for the People of Arcadia. More Politicians need to push for Lower Taxes, and More Liberty and Freedom for the People of Arcadia and the State of California.

Arcadians deserve a leader that leads and represents their interest, and not listen to the special interest groups.

Here are the reasons why I and others will vote for Jolly Wu for the District 5 City Council Seat:

1.She is the only candidate who runs a fully self-funded campaign because she does not want outside influence from individuals and organizations2. She will owe no one nor any self interest groups. Can any other candidates say that?3. She runs a positive message campaign4. She has been quietly serving our community since moving to Arcadia 18 years ago5. She really cares about her neighbors and community6. She is intelligent and thoughtful7. She is responsible and will act in the best interest for the people in her district

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